Immigration Enforcement Will Stop Some Deportations

By kFoxtv.com

September 6, 2010

EL PASO, Texas -- Immigration enforcement officials have announced a new policy that will cancel the deportations of thousands of immigrants currently detained.

The policy is an attempt to reduce a huge backlog of immigration cases pending across the nation, including El Paso, officials said.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials said the shift in policy will allow the agency to concentrate on arresting illegal immigrants that pose a threat to public safety or national security.

ICE director John Morton has authorized the release of those who have been detained in ICE operations because they did not have legal status, but who have active applications in the system to become legal residents.

At least 17,000 cases will likely be dropped due to the policy change.

"Both immigration camps are overflowing with aliens so the system is bursting, so now the system is responding," said Carlos Spector, an El Paso immigration attorney. "Over the past couple years immigration, ICE has arrested individuals and deported thousands and thousands of people in record numbers. I think that that policy shift reflects the systems inability to handle them all."

Spector said the policy comes as good news for his clients as many wait for years for their day in court.

"The resources should be placed on identifying those criminal aliens with serious criminal backgrounds," Spector said.

Republicans have criticized the policy, calling it a lax approach on immigration enforcement by the Obama administration.